Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-02-25
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

Nl4ttan ana compiled Tor the HERALD.
Various questions have been be-
fore Congress during the week.
The EadS Ship Railway bill has
been discussed; retaliation talk to-
wards Canada has been INDUCED
in the trade dollar has been vim
dicated so far as the House IS con-
cerned; the River and lIarbor bill
has been debated; the needs OF the
District of Columbia have had some
attention.: the late Senator Pike,
of New Hampshire, has been the
subject Of memorial services in the
Senate. while Gen. Logan was be-
ing eulogized in the House, and
naval Affairs have occupied much
Of the time of our lawmakers IN
the Upper House.
The knowing ones are still busy
preparing a new Cabinet slate, al
lhough il now seems conceded that
the change in the Treasury portfo-
Ito is the only one that will be
made. Minister PendletOn, ex-
Senator Mcdonald and Assistant
S -retary Fairchild are those often
est mentioned as probabilities for
the place. Speaker Carlisle is the
latest addition to the list. He is
regarded as a dangerous dark horse.
Both the Senate and House ex-
pcct to attack the Presidents veto
of the Dependent Pension BILL
There is some doubt, however,
about their ability to override it as
the Democrats of both branches
will now probably present an un-
broken front in support of it. The
bill passed both Houses by more
than a two.thlrds majority, but
some of the Democrats confess to
having weakened since then. Some
say thev voted for the bill against
their conviction, and others that
the Presidents veto message con-
yerted them.
Many Of the best informed mem
bers o. COngre think now that
there will be no extra session.
Nothing, they say, but failure to
pass the regular appropriations
would necessitate an extra session,
aud they will get through in good
time. The unsettled question of a
Treasury surplus and others, I'M
portant as they are, cannot, 1t IS
believed bring about an extra SEES
sion OF Congress.
What may be done this session
in regard to a new Navy and coast
defenSes no one can say. The Seq
ate has done nobly, and its bills APP
propriating millions for this pur-
pose are at the mercy now of the
Democratic House Committee on
Appropriations. This aIl-powerful
committee, dominated by the gent
us of penuriousness, Mr.. Samuel
Randall, has shown no disposition
yet to respond to the Senate's
wishes, and it is more than proba-
bic that the session will slip away
and leave the matter just as it
stands.
When the Senate was discussing
a bill for the increase of the naval
establishment, Senator Vest reiter-
ated his time-worn speech about the
Republican party being responsible
for the present condition Of the
Navy. Senator Hale, of Maine,whO
has often answered Mr.. Vests sal
lies on this subject, replied to him
again.
He remarked that during the
twenty years spoken of by the Sen
ator from Missouri, the Republican
party had only been in full control
Of The Government eight years.
The Democrats at the other end of
the Capitol had always thrown
themselves athwart any proposition
10 strengthen the Navy. He called
attention to the fact that although
the Republican party had lost con-
troll of the administration, the Re-
publican Senate was to-day voting
literally, and perhaps lavishly, for
the Navy and coast defenses, and
leaving the expenditure Of these
vast sums in the hands of a Demo-
cratic administration. This atti-
tude was Just IN opposition to the
attitude Of the Democratic party
for years past.
Senator IIawley, Of Connecticut,
said he welcomed an opportunity
Of placing money in the hands of a
Democratica administration, because
during the sixteen years that he
had been in Congress he had heard
successive Republican SECRETARIES
Of The Navy denounced and viified
beyond human endurance. The
Republicans had never failed to
challenge investigation ; to dare &C.
cusers to put their hands on any
acts Of corruption on the part Of
their Secretaries Of the Navy
There had been Investigations, and
they had resulted in nothing.
During the eight or ten years
that the House has been in control
OF the Democratic party, scores Of
measures for the good of the cOun-
try have passed the Senate, and
been consigned to the tomb Of the
Capulets in the House. They al
ways met with a spirit Of deter.
mined opposition and obstruction.